The right to live
by AnisoulJ93
Summary: Masaru dies just before his big break in the duelling world. Now he challenges Death for the right to live. Rated T for theme of death. One shot.


**It's an idea I came up with whilst daydreaming when doing house chores. There I was cleaning the kitchen, thinking of anything but cleaning the kitchen and then I started thinking about everything that's random and eventually came up with a duelling Death God. But then I thought of what a Death god is and what it does and eventually I came up with this. It's a basic one shot where a guy duels the God of death for the right to live. I've also got plans to make a proper series out of it, but I got enough of those on the go so I don't want to start a series that's not going to get any reviews. So anyway, onwards. **

**Disclaimer : I do not own Yu gi oh**

**Additional info : This fic does not follow the official ban lists.**

Masaru Watanabe hadn't felt himself die. He didn't even know he was dead really. All he knew was that he was in the car on the way to the most important duel of his life, a duel for the title of king of games. And then everything had gone black. He didn't see what killed him or remember dying so how was he supposed to know that when sight did eventually return to his eyes he was in fact dead. His first clue was probably that even though he could see, he could only see a few metres in any direction. The floor he found himself lying on was made of fog for all he could tell and he swiftly stood up. That's when his clothed caught his attention. Instead of his black and gold trench coat that he usually wears, since all great duellists wear trench coats, his body instead seemed to be wrapped up tightly in a white cloth, so soft he couldn't even feel it on his skin. Despite all this Masaru still did not realise he was dead, merely kidnapped he'd decided at first. It wasn't until he realised he had company, and exactly who that company was, that the truth finally dawned upon him. After looking around he had noticed another man. A tall man dressed in black rags and a long cloak. His head was covered entirely by a hood, the tip of which seemed to stretch back a good few metres and danced wildly in the air behind the robed man. Masaru couldn't make out a face beneath the hood but even so upon looking at this figure it didn't take him long to decide that he was in fact an angel of death.

"I'm dead," Masaru realised at last, his words seeming to echo around the room, if he was in a room. He kept his gaze firmly locked on the figure in front of him, suddenly finding himself too terrified to move. The tall masked figure also remained completely still, like he was waiting for Masaru to move first. So this left the two figures in a sort of stand-off where both parties did little more than silently stare at each other. The stand of continued for a while more before Masaru suddenly decided to move. Just a little bit, he moved his right foot. Finding no evidence of movement on the angel of death's part, Masaru continued moving his feet slowly retreating backwards. Eventually, once he decided he had put enough distance between the two, with the figure being just on the edge of the distance he could make out, Masaru spun around and broke out into a full run. He ran far, for as long as he could. He found that since he no longer had a physical body he now seemed incapable of feeling tired. Or feeling anything at all for that matter. It was this realization that made him stop running and turn around, to see if the angel of death had followed him. To his surprise the angel hadn't. He knew this because he could see him. Like looking down a tunnel he could see where he had ran from, could still see the angel staring at him. It was strange, because even at this distance, even with its face covered by its hood, Masaru still knew the angel was staring at him. He didn't like the feeling. So he turned ninety degrees to his left and carried on running in a new direction, his white clad feed disappearing and reappearing as he ran through the fog that clung to the ground. As he ran he shifted directions, running left and right. No matter how far he ran though he couldn't shake his feelings of fear. His sight let him see only a few metres in front of him, and beyond that was nothing but a wall of darkness. But as he ran that darkness was pushed back, always remaining just a few metres in front. Something he could never run into but always felt like he would. So he was momentarily surprised after running this way and that when the darkness seemed to disappear, or at least move a little further away. It was like he'd run into another corridor, with a left and a right now available. And he realised that he had. He'd run into a corridor he'd created himself. By running he had made a sort of maze and now he'd finally crossed somewhere he'd already been. To his right there was the direction he'd ran in, and endless path into oblivion that should he follow, would eventually lead straight back to where he was now. And to the left, about ten metres or so away from him, was the robed figure that could only be an angel of death, exactly where Masaru had left him, and still staring at him. So Masaru continued to run. He ran away from the gaze, into the darkness and creating another path. He decided to run straight. If he ran straight he would never go back there, near the angel. But after running so far and for so long Masaru realised there was no point to running. There was nothing else in this world. Just him and that thing. He could either run from it forever, and it would really be forever, or he could face it. He had no idea of what the consequences would be should he return to the angel. But even so at least something would happen. So he turned round and took a step backwards.

"Huh?"

He'd spent so long running in one direction. Miles and miles and miles. Of course he had no accurate way of judging just how far and for how long he had ran. But all the same it didn't really seem to matter. He had been prepared for a long trek back, but now he already found himself back in the white corridor he had started from. Now there were four paths. And too his right, still staring straight at him was the angel. Masaru stood on the spot. He'd decided to confront it, but now that he was back in front of it he felt scared once more. He felt his resolution and determination begin to drain away.

'Just one step,' he thought. 'Just one step towards him.'

Masaru moved his leg. He couldn't feel his leg move, something he'd become accustom to over since he'd started running, but all the same he knew he moved it. He knew because the angel got closer. And then the other leg moved and the angel got closer still. And as he got closed to the angel he noticed just how tall the figure was. It stood at a height well above his own height, at least ten feet tall. It stared down at him, locking him with its gaze as he came closer and closer. He stopped just short of walking into the angel and craned his neck to look straight up into the folds of the hood. He had hoped to see a face or maybe even a skull. But he saw nothing. For all he knew there was an empty space inside that hood.

"What do you want?"

He was surprised with himself when he actually managed to get his words out. His throat was dry. Or at least he thought it was. His legs were shaking, or at least he thought they were shaking. The only thing he was sure off, standing there, looking directly into the darkness of the angel's hood, was that he could no longer go back. This angel was here for him. There was no one else here so it had to be here for him. Would it decide where he goes? Whether he goes to heaven or hell? He didn't know anything, what was going to happen. What could happen or what will happen. He didn't think the angel would answer. He wasn't sure if it had a voice. He wasn't even sure if he had a voice. He could talk, but at the same time that was just his assumption. His words seemed to echo if he spoke, but he didn't feel his lips move, or his tongue. In fact he didn't even know if he had vocal cords right now. He didn't even know if he had a face. Most likely it was pure white like the rest of him. But even so he continued to stare, upwards into the darkness of the hood, waiting for an answer he wasn't even sure he was going to get.

"**DO YOU WISH TO GO?"**

The voice was heavy and dull. It seemed to come from everywhere in the room at once and yet it didn't seem to come from anywhere. It was like the room had spoken and not the angel. Maybe that was even true, and the angel in front of him had not spoken a word. And the question he had been asked, he didn't understand it either. Go? Go where? Maybe it meant to pass on properly, to go to wherever he was meant to go to. Whether it be heaven or hell.

"Go where?" Masaru asked. "Will I go to heaven? Or will I be sent to hell?"

He still wasn't sure he would get an answer. After all he never got an answer to his last question. He'd just gotten another answer.

"**ARE YOU DONE WITH YOUR LIFE?"**

Another question. But this one filled Masaru with hope. Did it mean he could continue to live on? That his life wasn't over till he wanted it to be? Maybe he could choose. Maybe that's what he was being asked, would he like to live or would he would like to die.

"I would like to live," said Masaru. Masaru decided that was how he would interpret the question. A chance to live on was what he wanted. To live and become the king of games.

"**TO lIVE? AS WHAT?"**

This threw Masaru completely out of it. What the hell does that mean? Was he going to be reincarnated. Did he get to choose what he was going to be next? But he didn't get long to ponder this question because the angel, if it was the one speaking, asked another question.

"**THE RIGHT TO LIVE. DO YOU CHALLENGE DEATH FOR THIS RIGHT?"**

This time Masaru understood. He'd heard in stories and other things. Seen it in movies even. A person could challenge death to a game, and if they won they would win their life back. Only according to legends no one ever defeats death. They only manage that in the movies.

"If I win, do I get to come back to life?"

It was a way out. A way to continue to exist and to follow his dream. Just because no one had ever managed it doesn't mean that he wouldn't. After all there was a first time for everything right?"

"**IN DEATH THERE IS LIFE. IN A CHALLENGE, ANYTHING CAN BE WAGERED."**

A statement this time. And it was a statement that gave Masaru hope. A simple yes would have been better though. Masaru felt his strength and his determination return to him.

"Then I challenge you for the right to live."

The change was sudden. The darkness lifted and disappeared. But fog came and obscured his view. It happened so quickly that Masaru jumped backwards. Mentally. But trapped in this fog and with no felling in his legs he didn't know if he'd really done so.

"**STATE YOUR CHALLENGE."**

There was only one game Masaru could even think of, and it came out his mouth before he could even think of another.

"Duel monsters."

And then the fog lifted. The angel was further away now, and it was seated at a table. The table was simple and made of wood with a log for Masaru to sit on. A deck of card was in front of the angel, who sat still with the exception of the point of his hood with continued to dance behind his head, flicking in and out of Masaru's view.

"Umm, I was thinking more of the modern way to play. You know with duel disks and stuff."

As soon as he had said he realised how stupid it was. Why would an angel of death know about human technology? But then it clearly knew what duel monsters were. So perhaps it did know.

The angel stood up, alerting Masaru's attention. It was the first time he had seen it move. And when it was fully standing a long tendril of fog wrapped itself round the angel's left sleeve. Masaru could not see the angels hand because its sleeves were too long. Out of the corner of his eye Masaru saw something stir. He turned his head and noticed that the fog was attached to his left arm too. He just couldn't feel it. But soon he saw that the fog began to take a solid shape. A duel disk. And not just any duel disk, his duel disk complete with his deck. A custom disk he'd made himself, staying true to the original KC design but slimmer and sharper. He noticed the disk that formed on the angels arm was a normal mass produced disk. The angel stooped, picking it's deck from the table and placing it in the slot, turning on the auto shuffle function. The table sunk into the floor. It was time to duel with death.

"**DEATH SUCCEEDS LIFE. YOU SHALL GO FIRST."**

**Masaru : 4000 Death : 4000**

Masaru nodded to the voice that came from nowhere and drew six cards. He placed them in his hand and began thinking about his best choice of action. Eventually he decided on his move.

"I normal summon Dark Grepher (1700/ 1600) from my hand."

Masaru's Dark warrior appeared on the field, but even he seemed short in comparison to the angel opposite Masaru.

"Then I activate his ability. I can discard on dark monster from my hand to discard another dark monster from my deck. I discard Necro Gardner from my hand and Steelswarm Scout from my deck."

The deck surprisingly spat out the right card for Masaru, meaning he had no need to search for it. He discarded the two cards.

"Now I activate Pot of duality. If I haven't special summoned this turn, I can reveal the top three cards of my deck and add one of them to my hand."

He revealed sinister sprocket, Steelswarm Cell and first step towards infestation.

"I add sinister sprocket" he declared, taking the card and shuffling the others back into his deck. But one he placed the deck back, the disk automatically shuffled it again anyway.

"I end my turn."

Death seemed to respond to him as it drew a card, starting its turn silently. It set a face down monster and two face down cards without speaking. It held the cards through the sleeves, still not showing its hands, and made some sort of gesture which Masaru took to mean meant it was he turn, so he drew his card.

"If I have no magic or traps down I can summon Steelswarm scout from my graveyard."

The bug clawed its way out of the ground and stood proudly in front of Masaru. But the bug didn't stay for long.

"I sacrifice Steelswarm scour and summon Steelswarm moth."

He played his new monster, but its image never appeared on the field.

"**SOLEMN WARNING."**

A card for all duellists to fear, Death gave up two thousand life points to negate the summoning of Masaru's moth. Masaru could only utter curses under his breath and place the moth in his graveyard.

"My Grepher attacks," he called out, causing the dark warrior to swing it's sword towards Death's face down monster.

The sword plunged straight through the card, which turned out to be Sangan.

"**BATTLE FADER TO HAND," **Death declared referring to Sangan's ability.

"I end my turn," Masaru said.

**Masaru : 4000 Death : 2000**

He had to be honest, even though death had given up half his life points the odds were now in death's favour.

"**FIRES OF DOOMSDAY."**

Deaths spell summoned two doomsday tokens, but both swiftly disappeared, alerting Masaru to Death having sacrificed them.

"**SUMMON THE SUPREMECY SUN."**

A hole opened up in the fog above the two. Since the cards name was sun, Masaru expected a bright light to shine through. He was half right. Instead rays of pure dark light appeared, and what looked like a solar eclipse could be seen. From the dark light appeared Death's monster, a creature clad in black and gold armour, with six diamond shaped wings of gold. The monster was huge, and Masaru found himself backing away from the Supremacy Sun (3000/3000).

"**HE ATTACKS"**

The supremacy sun held its arms out wide as arrows of dark light appeared around it, solidifying in a large uncountable number. The monster brought its arms forward and all of the arrows shot forward. They blew holes through Dark Grepher, and a few even continued until they hit Masaru. Masaru felt no pain, but he was surprised the arrow blew a hole through his arm. After the attack was done Masaru had no less than six holes through his body and none of them were going back to normal.

"What the hell?"

**Masaru : 2700 Death : 2000**

It was Masaru's turn again. The holes, freaky as they were didn't bother him much since he couldn't feel them. He felt relief as he drew into Steelswarm Girastag. This monster would send the Sun straight to the graveyard and give him back a thousand life points.

"Scout revives," declared Masaru. "Now I sacrifice him for Steelswarm Girastag."

Scout didn't even have time to finish clawing his way out of the ground before his was sacrificed for a large humanoid black bug with a cannon arm (2600/0)

But as soon as it hit the field, chains shot from the ground, wrapping themselves around the armoured bugs arms and legs and pulling it to the ground.

"**FIENDISH CHAIN,"** Death declared, revealing his trap card.

"Damn!" shouted Masaru. That card caused his Girastag to lose both its effect and the capability to attack. Death had proved to have an answer to Masaru's monsters once again.

"I end my turn," said Masaru, thoroughly disappointed.

Deaths turn was a repeat of last turn, only with a new bulkier target. The supreme sun blew Girastag to bits and Masaru found himself with another hole in his stomach and four hundred less life points. Death ended is turn by playing another face down and then making his usual gesture meaning it was Masaru's turn once again.

"I draw," shouted Masaru, hoping that if he shouted out loud with hope then it might improve his chances. As it turns out that just might have been the case.

"First my scout digs his way out of my grave yard. Then I activate recurring nightmare. This spell card allows me to return two dark monsters with zero defence from my grave to my hand."

Masaru chose Steelswarm Moth (2400/0) and Steelswarm Girastag (2600/0) and added both cards to his hand.

"Now I summon Steelswarm Moth!"

And this time nothing happened in response to the appearance of the female armoured bug. It stood proudly with hands on hips in front of Masaru.

"When Steelswarm Moth is summoned, I can give up one thousand life points and return two cards on your side of the field to your hand."

Masaru chose the Supreme Sun and Death's face down. Death said nothing in response as the Moth beat its wings, releasing silvery particles. They covered deaths side of the field and the chosen images of both cards disappeared. Death placed a sleeved hand over the chosen cards, and when he removed it the cards were gone from the due disk. Masaru couldn't believe it. Death had no cards down and only two thousand life points. One direct attack from his moth and the game was over. He was going to win!"

"Moth attacks!" Masaru shouted triumphantly.

Masaru's monster launched forward, preparing to punch Death in the face. If he had one. But Moth never got that far.

"**BATTLE FADER."**

Masaru had completely forgot about it. Death special summoned the level one fiend in defence mode (0/0). Battle fader can be special summoned in response to a direct attack, and when he is the battle phase ends. Moth suddenly found herself repelled by an invisible barrier. Masaru was speechless. But next turn he would summon Girastag. The game wasn't over yet.

"I end my turn," said Masaru.

**Masaru : 1300 Death : 2000**

The angel's head made a movement that Masaru interpreted as a nod. His sleeve moved over its deck as it drew a new card.

"**MIND CONTROL"**

Deaths spell took control of the Masaru's moth for the turn. Luckily it couldn't attack but all the same this wasn't looking good for Masaru.

"**BARRIER RESONATOR"**

Death summoned a level one tuner monster and now Masaru really didn't feel good.

"**SYNCRO SUMMON LEVEL SEVEN"**

The Resonator became an emerald ring and Moth became six little balls of light. The all came together and formed a new monster.

"**DARK HIGHLANDER"**

Deaths monster had a large dark blue cape surrounding black and gold armour. Its head was topped with a silver helmet and only revealed two glowing red eyes. Its collar rose high above its head. In its hands it wielded a large menacing scythe (2800/2300).

"**NEITHER PLAYER CAN SYNCRO SUMMON WHILE HIGHLANDER IS ON THE FIELD."**

Obviously death remembered the sinister sprocket from Masaru's first turn. He had been hoping to synchro summon originally if his moth had been able to stay on the field.

"**HIGHLANDER ATTACKES"**

The scythe wielding menace readied its huge scythe above its head. It took a step forward and brought it plummeting down ready to cut Masaru in half.

"I activate the effect of necro Gardner in my grave yard. By removing it from play I can negate your attack."

Masaru's grave ejected the chosen card and Highlander was repelled. Death set a card, most likely the one Masaru had returned to his hand last turn. Then Death did his familiar gesture and Masaru started his turn.

"Scout resurrects. But he's not staying because I sacrifice him and summon Steelswarm Girastag!"

Masaru's cannon armed bug appeared (2600/0), and Masaru had access to his effect.

"When he's summoned I gain one thousand life points and your monster is sent straight to the grave. Now Girastag swarm blast."

Girastag aimed its cannon arm and unleashed a wave of darkness then crushed into Highlander, who began to melt into the ground. When it was gone completely Masaru launched his attack.

Girastag attacks battle fader."

But once again his hopes were shot as Death flipped his face down.

"**Draining shield"**

Instead of doing damage, death was empowered and his life points shot up.

"I end my turn."

**Masaru : 2300 Death : 4600**

Masaru was running out of options. He'd run out of Steelswarms to summon again. But as long as death couldn't summon another strong monster he was safe.

"**FIENDS SANCTUARY"**

Well there goes that Idea. His sanctuary summoned a token to Death's side of the field.

"**SUMMON THE SUPREMACY SUN"**

Death sacrificed both battle fader and his token to re summon the dark sun (3000/3000). The monster came down from above the clouds and Girastag seemed to cower before.

"**HE ATTACKS"**

The sun sent his arrows of dark light to pulverize Girastag and inflict another four hundred points of damage to Masaru.

Death ended his turn.

"Draw," said Masaru. He was starting to lose any hope of winning, and his deck didn't help him, since it only gave him an Armageddon Knight.

"Scout resurrects in defence mode. Then I summon Armageddon Knight (1400/1200)."

His dark knight wasn't completely useless, since it allowed him to ditch another Necro Gardner from his deck.

"I end my turn.

Death drew a card.

"**POT OF GREED"**

Death's card allowed him to draw two more cards.

"**THE SUPREMACY SUN ATTACKS"**

The attack would have pulverised Armageddon Knight, but Masaru banished Necro Gardner from his grave to stop the attack, and death ended his turn.

**Masaru : 1900 Death : 4600**

"Pot of Duality."

Masaru's card once again allowed him to draw reveal three new cards and add one t his hand. Another Duality was revealed, along with Steelswarm Longhorn and Steelswarm Caller.

"I add Longhorn to my hand," Masaru said, returning the other two cards to his deck.

"And now I sacrifice Armageddon Knight and Steelswarm Scout and summon Steelswarm Longhorn."

Both his monsters disappeared and Masaru's new monster rose up instead. The armoured monster had two long thick antennas that trailed down his back (3000/0)."

"As long as a Steelswarm monster was tribute for his summon, then once per turn I can give up one thousand life points and destroy one of your monsters. I destroy the sun."

Longhorns antennas rose up and shot forward, piercing the sun's body and ripping it apart.

"Now Longhorn attacks you directly."

The antenna returned to longhorn and charged a ball of dark energy, which formed between both antenna and both hands. It fired and for a second Death's visage was lost behind the blinding explosion. It was the first time Masaru had managed to damage Death, and it was for a large amount. When the explosion was gone Death was on his knees and the point of his hood was no longer dancing but lying flat, the point touching the ground behind him. His cloak looked singed and the ground around him was covered in black flames. It truly looked like Death was burning. Before this sight Masaru found he was speechless.

**Masaru : 900 Death : 1600**

But even though he was standing in a ring of fire Death stood up. His hood was no longer just a container of darkness. Masaru couldn't understand how it worked but those black flames must be emitting some sort of light because Masaru could occasionally make out the flickering of a face and a single shining pale blue eye was now permanently visible beneath the hood. Masaru gulped and Death did not move. It took Masaru a moment to remember he still had not ended his turn.

"Turn end," he whispered. But even though it was a whisper it could be heard clearly in this space, even over the cackling of the black flames.

Death began his turn. But although he drew a card he instantly discarded another.

"**THE SUN IS ETERNAL"** came the voice of death and then the Supremacy Sun reappeared on the field.

"What the…"

"**HE CAN BE RESURECTED IN THE STANDBY PHASE IF HE WAS DESTROYED THE TURN BEFORE, BY DISCARDING A CARD" **Death explained having sensing Masaru's confusion.

"**HE ATTACKS,"**

The Sun and Longhorn collided, wrestling in mid-air. Longhorns antenna punctured the suns chest as arrows of dark light assaulted Longhorn from all sides. Both monsters fell to the ground in a sea of flames before disappearing all together.

"They were equals," said Masaru, discarding his Long horn. "But now you open."

Death said nothing, merely setting a card.

Masaru began his turn, drawing his own card. But then the sky opened above him. Death had discarded another card, and the Sun returned. Apparently it could return in both players standby phase. But he wasn't the only monster who returned.

"Scout comes back," Masaru said. "And now I activate Monster reincarnation."

He didn't have any life points to give for Moth or Long horn, but Girastag would restore them.

"I discard sinister sprocket and return Steelswarm Girastag to my hand."

He discarded the appropriate cards, returning his monster to his hand.

"Now I sacrifice Scout and summon Girastag from my hand. He sends Sun straight to the graveyard."

As soon as the armoured bug (2600/0) hit the field, it had sent Sun straight to the grave with its cannon and Masaru's life points went up by a thousand. And since Sun wasn't destroyed but sent to the grave instead he couldn't resurrect.

"He attacks," said Masaru. He didn't believe his attack would get through and he was right.

"**CALL OF THE HAUNTED"**

Deaths face down trap resurrected the Dark Highlander to the field (2800/2300), who instantly fended of Steelswarm Girastag.

"I guess the Supremacy sun can only be special summoned with its own effect," though Masaru aloud.

With nothing else he could do but hope for the best Masaru set his first face down card of the game and then ended his turn.

Death started his.

**Masaru : 1900 Death : 1600**

"**HIGHLANDER IS BANISHED."**

Death said this as soon as he had drawn his next card, surprising Masaru. In highlander's place appeared a monster Masaru had never seen or heard of before.

"**SEOUL THE AVATAR OF DEATH"**

Masaru was pretty sure you could scour the world and no other duellist would have this card. Because he was quite sure that this was something only Death would use. The monster that appeared didn't look too far off from Masaru's opponent. A tall floating monster covered in a dark cloak with a hood that covered its face entirely. The tip of its hood was long and danced wildly. The only difference between this monster and his opponent was the variety of colour to the creature's robes, as it contained greys and purples. Also, its hands were visible but appeared only as claws made from black shadows (?/0)

"**HE IS SUMMONED BY BANISHING A DARK MONSTER ON MY SIDE OF THE FIELD IF I HAVE NOT YET SUMMONED. WHEN SEOUL IS SUMMONED, ALL DARK MONSTERS IN MY GRAVE ARE BANISHED AND HE GAINS FOUR HUNDRED ATTACK POINTS FOR EACH ONE."**

Masaru seemed to panic less when the monsters attack points only totalled one thousand six hundred. Battle fader was banished when it left the field, and he'd just banished Dark Highlander. So there was only Sangan, Barrier Resonator, The supremacy Sun and a fourth monster he'd discard for Supremacy sun.

"**SEOUL ATTACKS DIRECTLY"**

"Oh"

The monsters hood stooped dancing and stretched further, eventually forming a scythe which the reaper held in both hands. It shot straight at Masaru, phasing straight through Steelswarm Girastag, and bringing its Scythe straight down towards Masaru.

"Burial from a different dimension!"

Masaru's face down quick play allowed him to return both his Necro Gardner's to his grave. And then he instantly banished one to negate Seoul's attack.

Death had no cards left and ended his turn.

Masaru Drew his card and then Scout returned to the field.

"I activate first step towards Infestation. With this I return Girastag to my hand and draw a card."

He drew the ace card of his deck, but he couldn't use it right now.

"I re-summon Girastag. He sends your Seoul to the grave."

But Girastag didn't use his effect. Instead it looked confused like it was trying to find its target.

"**SEOUL CAN NOT BE SEEN BY THE LIVING AND THEREFOR CANNOT BE TARGETED BY THEIR EFFECTS."**

And if that was the case Masaru wouldn't gain his one thousand life points either.

"Girastag attacks Seoul."

But it would seem that Seoul could not be selected as an attack target either.

"I End my turn."

Death drew a card, but it didn't look like it was anything he could play. Instead he just attacked again, Seoul going straight through Girastag and heading for Masaru. Once again it was denied by Necro Gardner.

Death did his usual gesture ending his turn.

Now it was Masaru's turn, and more importantly his last chance. He looked straight into Death's pale eye. This one draw would decide everything. Whether he would live or die. Seoul may seem immortal but Masaru knew otherwise. There was one card in his hand that could kill it, but in order to summon it, he was going to need one hell of a lucky draw, and he wasn't liking his chances. But then he was dead anyway. Maybe if he wanted it, really wanted that one card then he would get it. It had worked before, earlier in the duel when he'd really wished for a good card he'd got one. And when his hopes were low he hadn't.

Then it clicked. The Key to winning this duel. If a ghost was nothing but left over emotions, then that was what his deck was. They were his emotions.

Fuelled with this guess he'd decided was fact, Masaru drew his last card. And he smiled.

"Scout returns," he declared. "And then I summon Steelswarm Cell."

Then he played the magic card he just drew.

"Double summon. I'm allowed an additional normal summon this turn. So now I sacrifice Steelswarm Scout, Steelswarm Girastag and Steelswarm Cell and summon Steelswarm Hercules."

Masaru's monsters disappeared and from the ground rose a huge black and gold clawed arm. It was followed by another and soon Masaru's ace card dragged itself up to the surface. The huge monster let out a deafening roar, the prongs and horns that covered its body were golden and numerous, and Steelswarm Hercules stared Soul down being so tall its horns seemed to disappear into the fog above them (3200/0).

"They say the Steelswarms clawed their way up to the surface from hell. In other words not even death can stop him. And with his effect, once per turn I can half my life points to destroy all other cards on the field."

The ground beneath the two began to crumble and from the fog emerged millions of tiny Steelswarm Cell's which began to devour anything they could find other than their leader. One of them seemed to find the hem of Seoul's cloak by chance and he was soon covered in the tiny bugs. Since Hercules did not target even Seoul was prey to its effect. He soon sank into the sea of Steelswarms and disappeared. After a short while all the mini Steelswarms were gone, having sunk back into the ground. Masaru was surprised however when he felt a ghostly presence behind him. He spun and found himself being stared down by Seoul.

"**DEATH MUST EXIST. WHEN SEOUL IS REMOVED FROM THE FIELD AND SENT TO THE GRAVEYARD HE RESSURECTS ON THE OPPONENTS FIELD WITH HIS EFFECT NEGATED."**

Seoul had no attack points but his card had certainly appeared on Masaru's duel disk. But Seoul's presence did not matter. It had no effect right now, and Death was right open.

"Hercules attacks," Masaru announced. His monster launched its huge offense, holding out all four of its arms. It charged an attack full of energy much like Long Horn had done but bigger, before unleashing it.

Death was blown away.

**Masaru : 950 Death : 0**

Masaru couldn't believe it, he had beaten death. Hercules disappeared along with all the flames. Some feet away stood the Angel of death, no longer with a duel disk. Merely standing and staring. Its dark robe and hood were in rages, revealing a thin dark grey cloth underneath.

"**You have won. You may claim your prize."**

This time the angel itself was the one who spoke. It was still a dull heavy voice, but it no longer seemed to come from every direction.

"I can come back to life." Masaru said happily.

"**Your life is gone."**

Masaru stopped smiling. What did that mean? And was it just his imagination or did the angel of Death sound happy when it said that.

"But you said that if I won then I would win life," said Masaru. Had the God of death lied to him?

"**I said that life could be wagered, and I said there was life in death. Congratulations, you have won my life."**

Masaru understood in that moment. But he wished he hadn't.

"**Death cannot create life. Your life is gone. Your prize is the life of someone else, and the life your played for was that of death. Congratulations, you are the new god of death."**

The figure pulled its hood down. Its cloak dropped to the ground and it's true appearance was revealed. Long silver hair trailed down the figures back. Its body without the cloak was pure white and its face. It hade eyes, and a mouth and a nose, but no real facial features. Like it was made of plastic or had never had an emotion in its life. Only the eyes seemed to show any amount of emotion. They were an icy pale blue with Irises so small they were barely there. Normally they would look dead, but right now Masaru could swear there was happiness dancing around in those eyes.

The cloak at his feet began to move. Masaru wanted nothing more than to back away from it but found his feet wouldn't move.

"**From now on you shall live as death. This is your new life that you have won. Understand that Death can never lose, because the Victor is Death."**

When he started speaking the figure began to disappear. The black cloak grabbed on to Masaru's ankle and a tendril of cloth shot up and grabbed onto Masaru's arm. As Masaru wrestled with the cloak he became more entangled with it. The previous death merely watched as he disappeared. Soon nothing was left of him but part of his head and Masaru had nearly been completely smothered by the black cloak. Masaru could no longer talk as the cloak was tightly constricting his throat. He looked straight into the eyes of the white figure who was now nothing more than a face. It stared straight back at him as it disappeared.

As Masaru was completely covered by the cloak the figures lips stretched into a smile before he disappeared completely.

**How long is this? 12 pages, I was aiming for half of that. Yes Masaru was the winner. I wonder how many of you saw the ending coming. There were a few clues here and there. Seoul swapping sides, Death's deliberate vagueness at the start and to tip it of Masaru means victory. See plenty of clues so no doubt many of you figured out how it was going to end. Anyway, if you managed to finish this fic then please review. I would definitely appreciate it. Oh and due to the amount of time I spent writing this, I find myself to eager to upload it so I haven't actually checked it through thoroughly. So if you see any mistakes just say and I'll correct those. Well thanks for reading.**


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